‘Joyita’ – A symbolic name of a struggling woman

‘Joyita’ is the symbolic instance of women development and empowerment. The ‘Joyita’ women have taken space in the society through their own initiatives and willing force by overcoming all sorts of unavoidable circumstances. The Women and Children Affairs Directorate of Bangladesh goverment has taken initiative to find out the Joyita. The name of the initiative is “Bangladesh towards searching of Joyita”. There are five categories of Joyita such as: 1) The women successful in economical sector, 2) The women successful in education and service sector, 3) Successful mother, 4) The women who are able to stand again by recovering the oppression and 5) The women who have contributed in developing the society. The officials of local administration and representatives of civil society were engaged to sorting out of nominees. In the month of November, the Joyita of Dharmapasha upazila were nominated categorically by the initiatives of upazila admonistration and Women and Children Affairs Directorate. On the ocassion of Rokeya day on 9 December 2013, 5 Joyita were awarded formally at upazila level. . The Women and Children Affairs Directorate seems, “The Joyita are the lighthouse of Bangladesh”. The other women will be inspired through the success of Joyita. In the way, Bangladesh will be able to reach its destination.

Taslima got the position of Joyita for contributing in societal development at upazila level. At the age of 14, Taslima was married with a day laborer Rahichh Uddin. She became victimized of oppression due to early marriage. But she did not disappoint. She was communicating with different people of the village. She involved herself for raising awareness among the people for developing the society and releasing the women from superstition.

At that time, SHOUHARDO II came forward to change the fortune of Taslima. Her full name is Taslima Akter Jahanara, name of head of household: Md. Akkas Mia, Holding no. 417, class: poor, unic ID: 251140. She became the president of Village Development Committee (VDC) of SHOUHARDO II in 2011. She identified the steps to overcome the problems by the participation of all classes of people of the village after taking responsibilities. But she emphasized more and more on women empowerment and health issues. She formed EKATA group for women empowerment. She acquired skills regarding women rights, different laws and leadership development through EKATA session. A community clinic of a village was remained closed for a long period. She along with the members of VDC and EKATA communicated with union parishad chairman, members and respective personnel of upazila health complex and she became enabled to functional the clinic. At present, 40-50 patients are getting service daily from the clinic. Side by side, she took initiative to stop violence on women, early marriage and admit the dropped out adolescent girls into the school again. She was enabled to draw the attraction by stopping violence on women at some extent, 2 early marriages and admitting 2 adolescent girls into school. She was also enable to encourage people to use water sealed latrine and to stop to use open latrine.   

She is the permanent member of Accounts and Audit committee of union parishad. She communicates with different departments of upazila and attends different programs such as: day observation, discussion meeting, rally etc. along with her groups. She helped the EKATA members for participating in sewing training by communicating with upazila youth development directorate. By this time, EKATA group was registered from Women and Children Affairs directorate. In 2013, she became selected as nominee of Joyita for contributing a lot for societal development and 9 December 2013, upazila administration awarded her with crest and certificate.

During this time, her name and fame has been spreaded out among different institutions. On 5-6 March, CARE-Bangladesh arranged an EKATA convention in Mymensingh and she became rewarded in presence of hundreds of participants.